PRINCE ATHLETIC COMPLEX – University of Rochester men's soccer posted its second-straight result against its second-straight ranked foe to open University Athletic Association (UAA) conference play, defeating the 20th-ranked New York University Violets, 1-0, on Saturday morning at Edwin Fauver Stadium.
Rochester opened conference play a week prior with a scoreless draw against then-4th-ranked Case Western Reserve, and moves to 4-4-4 (1-0-1 UAA) with the win, while the 20th-ranked Violets drop to 7-2-1 (0-2 UAA) with the loss.
Milos Bisenic's penalty kick goal, his third of the year, proved to be the difference, as
Aidan Hartman and the URochester defense pitched their second shutout in conference play, and fifth of the year.
Johnny Makula drew the foul that gave Rochester a penalty kick off the 'Jackets' 71st-minute corner, and Bisenic, who's taken all four of UR's penalty kicks this year, converted to give Rochester a 1-0 lead that would also be the final score.
NYU outshot Rochester for the contest, 11-5, and had the early chances before Rochester got its offense going.
After an offside call prevented the Violets from taking the lead in the sixth minute,
Aidan Hartman came up with his first of three saves, coming out of goal in the seventh minute to stop Edward Wester just outside the box, who had gotten ahead of Rochester's defense on a through ball.
Bisenic, who had four of the 'Jackets' five shots, put URochester's first shot on goal in the 18th minute on a free kick from the far side of the field, driving a shot at Gabino Talisayon, which the NYU keeper saved.
Just under five minutes shy of the halftime break, the Yellowjackets would earn another free kick from a dangerous position, a yard shy of the top of the box. Bisenic took it again, and this time, Bisenic got through the wall and forced a diving save from Talisayon, resulting in a Rochester corner kick.
NYU defended the ensuing corner, and the two sides would head into the locker room without a score.
Eight minutes into the second half, Wester would challenge Hartman once again, settling a cross from the right wing, and with nobody marking him, ripped a shot on goal, but Hartman was able to make a diving stop, and the Yellowjacket defense successfully defended the first of three NYU corners over the next three minutes.
Following another corner in the 56th minute, Eric Wainer sent a headed shot in on goal, but Hartman notched his third save, blocking it on the far-post side of goal, and then jumping on it to prevent anything further.
Shots by NYU's Demir Calkap and Keyon Namdar went wide in the 62nd and 64th minutes, with Calkap missing high, while Namdar's attempt sailed wide right.
Finally though, off their 70th-minute corner kick, Rochester would break through and earn a penalty kick, which Bisenic converted to give the 'Jackets the lead.
Down a goal, the Violets put the pressure on Rochester late, scrambling to tie things up over the final 20 minutes. But off a free-kick in the 84th minute, Rochester blocked Tim Brdaric's shot, while on a loose ball in the box, the Yellowjackets stopped Namdar's 89th-minute attempt as well to help finish off the 1-0 victory.
Individually, Bisenic led Rochester with four shots, putting three on goal, including the game-winning penalty kick, while
Van Dietrich tallied the Jackets other attempt. For NYU, Namdar had a team-high three shots, while Wester put a pair on goal.
In goal for Rochester, Hartman tallied three saves, while Talisayon had two for NYU.
The Yellowjackets will be back in action on Tuesday, Oct. 13, when they wrap up non-conference play with a matchup against Hamilton College at 7:00 p.m. inside Fauver Stadium.
